Evermore: A Harry Potter FanFiction
by MadamOvary
Summary: Evey had it all: great friends, the best professors at the best magical school on the east coast, and wonderful parents. Her life is turned upside down when her father and mother decide to relocate to England, forcing Evey to leave her life behind and transfer to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. *Characters property of J.K. Rowling* **All Rights Reserved on OC*
1. Chapter 1: Changes for the Changeling

Chapter 1: Changes for the Changeling

Her hair was black today.

Black, thin, and lifeless. No matter how hard she tried, Evey could not will it to change its appearance. She was used to hearing from her all her professors back home that she was a talented Changeling; if only they could see her now, failing miserably at it. Evey shut her eyes and, with a heavy sigh, filled her mind with thoughts of her usual voluminous mousy brown curls, but to no avail. When she opened h eyes, her hair remained stubbornly black. Black, thin, and lifeless. Add that to the list of things that were going wrong in what was most definitely the worst summer of her life.

"I guess this is what we look like now," she muttered to her pale reflection. It could be worse; except for the dull main and rather unhealthy looking complexion, Evey looked like her usual self... Or, at least, a ghost of herself. That's the trick, though, isn't it? You walk around, looking like you usually do to the outside world, never mind that on the inside you're falling to a million pieces. Sure, there may be some subtle difference - things like dark, boring hair and bad skin - just enough change for people to occasionally ask if you're okay. You tell them you're just fine (because why would you answer any differently?), but they'll never truly know the pain that you're in.

Evey heaved another great sigh, looked away from the reflection that wasn't quite hers, and threw herself on her bed in defeat. Her best friend Amy had called Evey an expert in "outward expression" more than once and with good reason. As a Changeling, it was not unusual for her appearance to match her mood; while Evey could change her appearance at will, a rare ability, even among those born with magical talent, very often her hair and eyes will shift along with her emotions. How many times had her hair burst into a flaming red during a particularly heated debate with some of her more smug classmates? How many times had it morphed into bubbly pink and bouncy thick curls during her sillier moments or magenta during moments of extreme embarrassment? She recalled a particularly memorable day when it had transformed into Medusa-esque locks of the most hideous shade of green when the awful Harmony Gold got a date to homecoming while Evey remained date-less. She thought of the endless times her eyes became two brilliant sapphires during moments of concentration, like in the middle of an exam, or golden yellow during daydreaming spells. Somehow though, black hair and opaque skin didn't really seem to be cutting it. What's more, she couldn't seem to make it go away. Evey has been known to lose control of her Changeling abilities, but it's never not worked for her. She was now starting to feel like a failure at the one thing that made her unique, on top of everything else. Evey briefly wondered what her friends back home would think of her current visage. Boring... Helpless... Lonely... Sad?

There was a soft knock at her door that pulled Evey out of her reverie. When Evey granted her visitor entrance, her mother's head peeked into her room. Evey gave her mother, Fumiko, a small smile in spite of herself. "Etsuko-chan?" Fumiko breathed. Her voice was so soft; Evey doubted the petals of a rose would so much as flutter even if her mother had been shouting at it to change color. Fumiko took a seat beside Evey and gave her daughter a small kiss on her forehead. Evey always thought that everything about her mother could be described as being both big and small: big heart, small body; big words, small mouth; big brain, small voice; big hugs, small arms.

Fumiko brushed Evey's hair back behind her ears. It felt long to her slender fingers "I like what you've done with your hair, Etsuko-chan," she said, not unkindly. She was one of the few people who ever called Evey by her given name.

"Thanks," Evey mumbled, still lying on her back, unmoving. "I'm experimenting."

Fumiko smiled sadly. If she suspected her daughter of keeping something hidden, she knew better than to pursue the subject. As someone who wears her heart on her sleeve, it was a rare occurrence indeed for Evey to keep secrets intentionally, especially from her parents. Evey was grateful for it; her parents had enough to worry about as it was.

"How's dad?" Evey said suddenly. She imagined how stressed and anxiety-fueled her poor, scatter-brained father, who was a brilliant man but lacked emotional clarity, must be these days. She hadn't seen him since the night they arrived at their new apartment from Heathrow Airport. Evey and her mother have made substantial progress unpacking their belongings and making their flat look more like home while her father's study remained largely untouched.

Fumiko inhaled sharply at Evey's question. Not a good sign. "He's... hanging in there."

Evey chuckled; she knew what that meant. "He's a mess, isn't he?"

Fumiko hung her head and laughed with her daughter. They both knew what to expect during these trying times. Evey's father, Dr. Erick Evermore, was an archeologist who had spent the majority of his career as a professor at New York University. Recently, however, Dr. Evermore was offered what he repeatedly described as "the position of a lifetime!" as head of the Archeology Department at Oxford University. As a family, the three agreed to leave behind the familiarity of their occupations and traded their Brooklyn apartment for a flat in London, which just happened to be the ancestral home of the Manhattan-born Dr. Evermore.

At almost fifteen years of age, Evey's parents fully expected her to throw tantrums at the news of Dr. Evermore's new job prospect and blatantly refuse to leave home in New York, her beloved Hypatia Academy for Young Witches, her friends, and everything she held near and dear. Fumiko and Dr. Evermore were prepared for angry outbursts, cold shoulder treatments, and endless hours trying to convince their teenaged daughter to leave her locked room. What Fumiko and Dr. Evermore weren't expecting was the response that they got instead.

"Sure," Evey had said calmly when Dr. Evermore asked if moving to another country would be okay with the rest of the family. It took him a second to process that it was Evey who had spoken.

"You're okay with it?" Dr. Evermore asked in disbelief, pushing his glasses up to his nose bridge.

Evey gave that some thought. Beside her, Fumiko was watching Evey expectantly, just as surprised as Dr. Evermore. "Well," Evey said, choosing her words carefully. "Dad, isn't this what you always wanted? It seems unfair to deny you this after you've worked so hard." Silence followed her words. Fumiko and Dr. Evermore exchanged unsure glances. "Besides," Evey continued slowly. "I can still go to Hypatia, can't I? I mean, I dorm there. What difference would this move make?"

"Oh..." Dr. Evermore said. His glasses slipped down his nose and he gazed at his daughter through said eyes. "Oh..." He said again, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Etsuko-chan," Fumiko said, placing a tentative hand on Evey's shoulder. "If we go to England for this, you won't be able to go back to Hypatia Academy."

Evey's heart dropped. Not go back? "Oh..." she said, echoing her father. "I don't understand. Why not?"

"Well, if we do this, your father and I will both have to settle into new positions at work and we have to pay to move everything overseas after we find a new place to live. I'm sorry darling, but sending you to Hypatia just won't be fiscally possible. Does that make sense to you?" Fumiko often spoke to her daughter in this fashion; she didn't believe in speaking down to children, especially in regards to such sensitive matters. Fumiko and Dr. Evermore braced themselves for Evey's response.

"I see," Evey said sadly. Then, after a minute, "Well, that does suck, but my point still stands. It wouldn't be fair to dad. We should go." She tried to keep her voice from cracking. Before her parents could let her words sink in, Evey excused herself

That was back in March during Evey's spring vacation, mere hours after Dr. Evermore received the call from London. Evey didn't think much on the move for the remainder of the semester, knowing full well that thinking on it would distract her from her studies and secretly hoping her parents would change their minds. She never mentioned word of it to her friends and professors until June, when her father confirmed their flight dates and there was no turning back. To make matters worse, Evey did not see much of her friends over the summer break because most had made travel plans with their families, travel plans that, unlike Evey's, included coming back home.

Fumiko's magic had made packing their belongings easy and swift ("Isn't that just something!" Dr. Evermore had cried, as if he's never seen her do it before), but instead of traveling through the Mage Dust Networks, Fumiko and Evey joined Dr. Evermore on the airplane fight to London. Evey had flown in many different ways, but planes were new to her; she had decided by her third trip to the bathroom that she did not like flying in planes. Evey had disembarked the plane a pale, dehydrated mess. She think thats when her hair first turned from brown curls to its current black wisps. Her mother had to erase quite a few flight attendants' memories.

Evey felt her mother lay beside her on her bed. Evey turned until she was safely nestled against her mother's warm, familiar torso. Fumiko wrapped her arms gently around Evey. "Thank you, darling," Fumiko said. "Your father isn't very good at expressing it, but he's very grateful that you've agreed to come with us." Fumiko started to fun her fingers through Evey's hair; it was surprisingly coarse for such thin hair.

"Will he come with us to King's Cross next week?" Evey whispered, trying hard to hold back tears. Her right hand made a tight fistful on her mother's blouse, but Fumiko made no protests.

"Of course, my flower," Fumiko said. "He wouldn't miss it for the world. And don't you worry about this new school. I've already met with its headmaster and I explained your situation. He's going to do everything in his power to make your transition as easy as possible. Hogwarts is very different from Hypatia, but I think you might grow to like it there." Fumiko's finger ran the entire length of Evey's hair as she spoke.

Evey swallowed the lump in her throat. She mustn't cry. "And if I don't?" she asked.

Fumiko didn't answer right away. Evey waited with her eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of her mother's hand swimming through the head of hair Evey hated so. It was relaxing and Evey felt her tears gradually subside; the burn of tears at the back of her eyes wasn't so great. Fumiko smelled of cherry blossoms, aloe vera, ink, and, very faintly, of salmon. She must have been preparing dinner before she came to check on Evey.

"If you don't," Fumiko said. "Then your father and I will talk about sending you back to Hypatia next year, when it'll be more manageable."

Fumiko couldn't sure, but she thought she saw a sheen of color pass through Evey's hair as the coarse, wispy locks became softer with every pass her fingers made through it.


	2. Chapter 2: Meet the Evermores

Chapter 2: Meet the Evermores

 _Dear Amy,_

 _Well, this is it! Today, mom and dad are dropping me off at King's Cross station and I'll be on my way to Hogwarts. Only, get this: I haven't actually been accepted yet! Can you believe it? The headmaster (that's what they call the principal of a school here in merry old England) explained it to mom but she's not 100% on the whole situation. I'm sure he'll explain it when I get there tonight. Why else would he ask that I make the trip to Hogwarts a week before the start of classes? This headmaster guy sounds weird._

 _I wish I could say that I hope I don't get accepted just to spite my parents, but the only thing worse than going would be not going. Besides, what would I do with myself if I don't have school to occupy my time? I guess I could keep my mother company, but she has dad and she can't homeschool me like she used to; things work differently in U.K. I can't legally practice my magic at home so it's Hogwarts or nothing and I have to practice my magic! I know, I know: I'm a nerd. So sue me. But having a place to safely (and legally) practice magic can't be all bad, right?_

 _Anyway, I really should be getting ready to head out. Keep me posted on all the happenings at the academy! Miss you lots!_

 _Love,_  
 _Evey_

Evey read over her letter and checked for any typos or misspellings. She had deliberately forgot to mention any possibility of her return to Hypatia Academy, despite her conversation with her mother. Evey didn't want to get anyone's hopes up, especially her own. Satisfied, she carefully the letter and slipped it into its envelope. The stationary she was using was a special one that her Magickal Crafts and Potions professor had given her as a parting gift at the end of last year. Each slip of paper was of a thick papyrus stock and had an ornate gold heading featuring her embossed initials. The envelopes changed color and pattern every few seconds, no doubt a nod to Evey's Changeling abilities and curtsey of her professor's own enchantment; she promised the stationary was singularly unique. What's more, the set was charmed to infinitely replenish itself so that she would never need to purchase a new stationary set ever again. "Now you'll have no excuse to not write home," her professor had teased. It was the only time Evey allowed herself to cry in front of someone over the move. Evey made a mental note to write to her professor once she was settled at Hogwarts.

Envelope in hand, Evey ran to the kitchen where she knew she would find her mother in the middle of breakfast preparations. "Morning, mom," she said. "Can I borrow Archie? I have a delivery for him." Archie was the family owl that spent most of his time doing as he pleased. He was only ever used by Fumiko to deliver the occasional care package while Evey was away at school or sometimes for work-related business. Evey never had much need of Archie except to write to her friends during the summer months and, as a no-Maj, Dr. Evermore preferred snail mail ("The postal workers don't snap at you... usually.")

Before Fumiko could reply, Evey felt a gust of wind tickle her ears as Archie flew in, as though summoned by saying his name. The brown and white Barred owl landed gracefully on the kitchen counter besides Evey and fidgeted excitedly. Evey smiled at him affectionately and rummaged the cupboards for his food bin. Finding it, Evey tossed him a few dead lizards and topped it off with a sizable hunk of dead mice, all of which Archie gobbled up happily. Archie usually hunts for his own food, but he would be leaving on a long multi-day trip today.

Without looking up from her cooking, Fumiko waved her hand levitated a box of owl kibble from a shopping tote on the floor beside her and into Evey's hands. "Make sure you pack him something to nibble on, Etsuko-chan," she said. "Iceland is a long ways away and Archimedes is not used to making such long trips. We don't want him exerting any energy hunting for food."

"I know that," Every muttered, setting the box and her letter down. She returned to her room and rummaged through her mess until she found a velvet drawstring pouch that she had picked up for Archie but never used. Back in the kitchen, she filled the pouch with owl kibble and dated the drawstring to Archie's leg. Then she held out an arm and Archie obediently hopped on, his kibble pouch bouncing back and forth. Letter in hand, Evey approached the nearest open window.

"Now, remember," she said to Archie. "You take this letter to the Owlery in Iceland and let them take it the rest of the way. You rest up there and then come right back to mom, okay?" Archie chirped happily, took Evey's letter in his beak, and flew off with a silent flutter of his wings. "Be safe," Evey whispered, watching Archie until he was nothing but a speck in the sky.

Back in the kitchen, Fumiko had breakfast served and Dr. Evermore was waiting for hid wife and daughter to join him at the table, archeological journal already in hand. When Evey entered the room, the journal came down and Dr. Evermore smiled that adorable smile Evey loved so much. "There's my All Hallow's Eve!"

Evey rolled her eyes at her dad's age old joke; such corny dad-jokes are the consequences of being born on Halloween and walking around with a nickname like "Evey." Despite her fathers ancient and awful sense of humor, she planted herself happily on his lap. They embraced and Dr. Evermore kissed his daughter fondly on her forehead.

"Your hair is different today," Dr. Evermore said. Evey's hair hasn't changed since her first night in London but she had not seen her father in some time. Despite the fact that Dr. Evermore dabbled in the art of uncovering extreme details, his mind was too full to notice anything that wasn't waiting on piece of pottery or ancient weapon for him to document and examine.

"I'm experimenting," Evey said mechanically. She figured if she said it enough times, she would come to believe it herself.

Dr. Evermore may not look it, but he was quite the heartthrob, especially as a younger man. He just never knew it. His once sandy-blond hair had given away to salt-and-pepper gray, making him look older than his 43 years. His baby-blue eyes were accentuated by the crow's feet that were just starting to surface under his round, wire-frame glasses. Dr. Evermore, Erick to his friends, was a classically handsome man and Fumiko always said he would fit in perfectly in a silent film. In response, Dr. Evermore would put on his best Trans-Atlantic accent. To Evey, Dr. Evermore was a less handsome Harrison Ford, to which Fumiko and Dr. Evermore would always laugh in agreement.

Fumiko entered just then with a tray carrying a ceramic tea kettle and three matching cups. Evey took her place at the table on her father's lap and Fumiko sat on her husband's right. She performed their routine tea ceremony and Evey watched her just as in awe of her mother's grace as the first time she witnessed her perform the tea ceremony. Her mother's straight black hair was always tied up neatly in a bun, with not a single hair out of place, and today was no different. Her small dark eyes were narrowed in concentration and her simple but elegant beauty was alive and in well in her youthful face, despite being months short of 40. Once everyone had their tea in front of them, the Evermores chanted "Itadakimasu*" in unison before digging in. Fumiko had lovingly prepared natto* and fried egg over white rice and miso soup that day. Evey got two eggs, as usual. The family ate in silence for a few minutes. Realizing this would be the last time they would sit down for a meal as a family, she was the first to break the silence.

"When do you start work, mom?" she asked. She hadn't asked her mother about her transition from the Magical Congress of the United States to the British Ministry of Magic since Fumiko announced it at the start of summer. Fumiko worked as an ambassador and magical liaison between the MACUSA and the no-Maj United States Congress as well as a translator (Fumiko was a talented linguist and was fluent in Japanese, Mandarin, French, and Russian).

"Well," she said casually. "It turns out that the Ministry of Magic has no need for a liaison with the no-Maj government. The Minister for Magic himself contacts the Prime Minister only in cases of extreme urgency."

"What?!" Evey cried.

"Yes, it is very unusual," Fumiko said. "But England is a much smaller country. I suppose it's wasteful to have liaisons with their own government. However, they do want a diplomatic party to represent the Ministry with other countries. They're sending me to Romania in a few weeks."

"Romania?" Dr. Evermore chimed in. "Fascinating. What ever for?"

"I haven't been filled on the details just yet, but I should be soon."

"Romania is a hub of archeological marvels right now! Evidence of a Celtic presence just keeps piling up and some of my colleagues suspect there's more Roman history to be–"

Evey cleared her throat. "What about you, dad? How's it going at Oxford?"

"Oh, fantastic!" he said, without hesitating. "I'm taking my first group of PhD students on an archeological dig in Egypt next week. We're going to revist King Tut's tomb! It doesn't seem like a promising site, considering all the tourism it's gotten since its discovery. Honestly, what more can be uncovered at this point, but–"

"You're going away, too?" Evey said, trying her best to sound like a whiny child. "Will you guys be back for Christmas?"

"Of course, darling!" Dr. Evermore cried, Fumiko nodding in agreement. "December is months away and we've never had a Christmas without each other!" He reached out and took Evey's hand. "Not too worry, duck."

Evey nodded and went back to toying with her bowl of miso absentmindedly. Dr. and Mrs. Evermore have always had to travel for work. She knew this, but she wasn't used to her mother leaving the country; she rarely ever traveled further than Washington D. C. She knew it sounded selfish, but she liked knowing there was someone home to receive her hell or high water.

The Evermores finished the rest of their breakfast in silence.

* "itadakimasu" = "I humbly receive thee," similar to "Let's eat!" or "Thanks for the food!"

* natto = fermented soy beans


End file.
